LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Location matters—being close to the path of totality doesn’t guarantee that you will see the total eclipse! You should find a suitable site well ahead of the event, but keep in mind that unless Scouts travel into the path of totality, they will observe only a partial eclipse. A partial eclipse is still well worth your time and effort to see.

There are many cool ideas online about how to view the partial eclipse. The simplest way is to use a pinhole projector. It’s a great and safe way to see the partial eclipse! You may even find that the sunlight filtering through the leaves of a tree may show many tiny images of the partial eclipse.

Contact organizations such as NASA; the Great American Eclipse website; Sky & Telescope, Astronomy, and Scientific American magazines; and local science centers, schools, and universities to see what they are doing to mark the event.

LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

Location matters—being close to the path of totality doesn’t guarantee that you will see the total eclipse! You should find a suitable site well ahead of the event, but keep in mind that unless Scouts travel into the path of totality, they will observe only a partial eclipse. A partial eclipse is still well worth your time and effort to see.

There are many cool ideas online about how to view the partial eclipse. The simplest way is to use a pinhole projector. It’s a great and safe way to see the partial eclipse! You may even find that the sunlight filtering through the leaves of a tree may show many tiny images of the partial eclipse.

Contact organizations such as NASA; the Great American Eclipse website; Sky & Telescope, Astronomy, and Scientific American magazines; and local science centers, schools, and universities to see what they are doing to mark the event.

As with all things Scouts do, it is imperative to consider the safety aspects of this activity. This will hold true for viewing the eclipse throughout all of its phases – you should never look directly at the sun.

As with all things Scouts do, it is imperative to consider the safety aspects of this activity. This will hold true for viewing the eclipse throughout all of its phases – you should never look directly at the sun.

As with all things Scouts do, it is imperative to consider the safety aspects of this activity. This will hold true for viewing the eclipse throughout all of its phases – you should never look directly at the sun.

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Scouts can earn the patch whether they view the total or partial eclipse, rain or shine. Be prepared—rain and clouds happen!

On the path of totality, it will be dark even on a rainy day. Scouts will be able to detect the change in darkness even on an overcast day, but in the areas away from totality it will not be as evident.

We encourage Scouts and their units to live stream the NASA feed to see the eclipse, whether or not they are in the path of totality.

Scouts can show that they participated in an event even if weather prevents them from directly viewing the eclipse. They could watch it on a live feed over the internet or post their GPS coordinates showing where they were. Use the hashtag #BSAEclipse2017 to show your participation in the event.

Remember, an eclipse happens again on April 8, 2024! This time the path of totality will stretch from Texas to Maine. Residents of Carbondale, Illinois, will be on the center line of two amazing eclipses in a span of less than seven years. Following the 2024 eclipse, there will not be another one in the United States until 2045.

MORE INFO

Scouts can earn the patch whether they view the total or partial eclipse, rain or shine. Be prepared—rain and clouds happen!

On the path of totality, it will be dark even on a rainy day. Scouts will be able to detect the change in darkness even on an overcast day, but in the areas away from totality it will not be as evident.

We encourage Scouts and their units to live stream the NASA feed to see the eclipse, whether or not they are in the path of totality.

Scouts can show that they participated in an event even if weather prevents them from directly viewing the eclipse. They could watch it on a live feed over the internet or post their GPS coordinates showing where they were. Use the hashtag #BSAEclipse2017 to show your participation in the event.

Remember, an eclipse happens again on April 8, 2024! This time the path of totality will stretch from Texas to Maine. Residents of Carbondale, Illinois, will be on the center line of two amazing eclipses in a span of less than seven years. Following the 2024 eclipse, there will not be another one in the United States until 2045.